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Hi Glenda,
Yes, we have been to the burial site, but some of the family graves there are hard to find & /or read. Also, with John, I have his son's birth certificate where John's place & date of birth is mentioned, but I can't actually find that record on NZ's BDM online database. My next step is sending away for either his death cert or marriage cert, from which i may be able to track down more details. Have been sidetracked for a fair while. Thanks for the reply, though.

Thank you for that. I've opened up that site you mentioned. The John I need is John Vincent Harwood Swindley - his son was John Henry - I copied the wrong name in my first request. He is definitely closer to 1880 as his death records all say he was 59 when he died, 9 June 1939. I can't track when he came to NZ yet as I haven't his marriage certificate/register record, or any hospital records - I think that may be my next step. I've looked through years & years of shipping passenger lists & not found him yet. It is possible he came here via Australia. Thank you for your help 
Just looked up that site: the only John was born 1831, so if it's a connection, it's another generation back. Will keep looking, thanks 

Yes, this family history can get pretty murky! Claudina was married in 1910 to first husband, & had 7 children, but divorced him 3/12/1928. Going by the oldest of the Swindley children, it looks like she & John were 'together' while she was waiting for her divorce, as the first of John's children was born earlier in 1928. On Joseph's birth record, John was the informant, & states that at that time they also had a 3 yr old son, & 3 girls aged 6,5 & 2 yrs. I can't find birht records for the earlier children. His marriage to Claudina is clear on this record as 25 May 1931; his age 54, her age 46, & the registrar has signed & dated the record 20 November 1934, only 5 days after Joseph's birth. John was a fireman, he states, but he only uses his first name, although Claudina's full name is there.
I also have a clear copy of John's will, with solicitor's notes regarding John's health at the time etc.
Re the marriage certificate - I haven't been able to get a copy yet, as on the government online records, it won't be available til after 25 May next year (80 years after the event), otherwise I have to wait til I can get down to Wellington to look it up in person. Finances are an issue at present, but it's looking like some time soon we will have to go on the road to get further in our search. 
I have looked up every freely available record here, & asked relevant family members, but we can find nothing further back for John here. I've searched birth records back to 1870 & no Swindleys at all.
By the way, the 2 oldest children to this relationship are still living, which is why I'm only giving vague details re their births.
Thanks again for your guidance so far. 

Thanks Carol, that was quick! His parents are both deceased & details are:father
Joseph Robert Swindley, b 15/11/1934, m2/1956, d 5/7/1983 - all in NZ
Mother Lucette Eliane Jacqueline Foucher, b 28/4/1931 Noumea, New Caledonia; d19/1/2005, Auckland, New Zealand
Joseph's parents were: John Henry Vincent Swindley, b1880 (est - based on his age at death recorded as 59)prob UK, m 25/5/1931 Wellington, New Zealand, d 9/6/1939
Claudina Silveria De Brum (sometimes recorded as 'Clandena/ Claudia' 'Da Brum/ De Brun' b 12/10/1891 Auckland, New Zealand, d 27/11/1945 Auckland New Zealand.
I can't find any Swindleys born in NZ around 1880, let alone any John Swindley.
Thanks for your help.